From Rifugio Amprimo follow path 513 (Sentiero dei Franchi), then leave it at the junction with path 513A and go down on the left to the small lakes of Paradiso delle Rane.

Then continue on the path that climbs up to the car park and descend alongside the carriage road towards the hamlet of Città. Once you reach the hamlet, continue for less than a kilometre on the road that leads to the hamlet of Adret, where, near the little church, you take path 524 in the direction of the Certosa di Montebenedetto (Carthusian monastery) and Pian dell'Orso.

The itinerary then crosses the Gravio stream, goes up the right side of the valley with a short bend and overlooks the pastures surrounding the Certosa di Montebenedetto, which can be reached after a few hundred metres on a dirt road.

After stopping at the Carthusian monastery, go back slightly along the dirt road until you come across path 506 on the left. After a first steep uphill stretch, the path continues with a moderate slope among larch woods and after about an hour you reach the GEAT refuge of Val Gravio.

This stage has several variants via connecting paths:

upstream of Paradiso delle Rane, descending from Rifugio Amprimo on path 513, you can take the fork of path 513A, which proceeds eastwards through a coniferous wood and climbs up to the village of Travers a Mont. After crossing the village, the path continues along most of its length flanked by dry stone walls. You pass the uninhabited villages of Pois and Passet and reach the fork with path 512 which goes up from Adret and you go along it. After passing a rocky spur, the path leaves the broadleaf wood to enter a larch grove alternating with clearings and pastures and continues with a moderate slope to the refuge.

Going along path 512 you can still reach the Certosa di Montebenedetto: after entering the first clearing and having walked a short descent you will find the fork with path 512A, a connecting path that allows horses to ford the Gravies stream safely, and then you descend towards Montebenedetto.

The Certosa di Montebenedetto (Charterhouse), built in 1198-1200, is the only example of a "primitive" charterhouse, or one that still retains original parts of medieval construction and which has not undergone major structural changes. The complex also has a mountain pasture and a holiday home managed by the Park. Close to Rifugio GEAT Val Gravio, the Gravio stream creates the magnificent Gran Gouraf waterfall.

Foresteria della Certosa di Montebenedetto (1149 m)

The Amprimo Refuge (Bussoleno) can be reached on two itineraries: 1) from San Giorio take the paved road that reaches the hamlet of Città, continue for a section of dirt road as far as the car park of Cortavetto and from here take hiking trail 513, which leads to the Amprimo Refuge in about 40 minutes; 2) from Bussoleno, on a vehicular road, you reach the car park of Sagnette (with a stretch on dirt road), then take trail 510, which leads to the Amprimo Refuge in 20 minutes.

Source: Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie (2018)
Itinerary code: GDO
Phone coverage: Present but with points that are not covered
Recommended period: June, July, Auguat, September
Historical interest: Yes
Classification: Provincial with high mountain development
Provinces crossed: Torino